However, Rowe insisted that university appointments are still based on intellectual achievements rather than political affiliation.

"What every university wants to do is get the best people in the field, regardless of the scholar's political affiliation," Rowe said.

Cuts in Aid to Education.

Speaker of the House Gingrich laid the groundwork for the stunning Republican landslide last November with his Contract with America, a list of proposals which would be voted on in the first 100 day should the GOP win control of Congress.

At the top of the Republicans' agenda was a promise to pass a balanced budget and to cut taxes.

But in order to achieve these twin goals, Republicans in both the House and Senate passed a budget blueprint in May which would cut federal aid to college students and slash federal funds for Civilian scientific research.

"If America is to remain competitive in the world, and if Americans are to maintain a decent standard of living, we must get federal spending and the federal budget under control," says a statement released by Gingrich's office. "This means making some tough choices."

At the top of their list, the Republicans would eliminate the in-school interest subsidy on Stafford loans--a measure which would dramatically affect thousands of students at Har- vard and in Massachusetts.

Currently, students who take out Stafford loansare exempt from paying interest on their loansuntil six months after they graduate. If thebudget blueprint is eventually passed, studentswould be forced to pay the interest that accruedwhile they were still in school.

Republicans believe that by eliminating thein-school interest subsidy on Stafford loans, thecountry will save $12.4 billion over five years,according to House Budget Committee spokespersonChris Ullman.

Republicans maintain that for the averagecollege student, the elimination of the subsidywould amount to an extra $21 a month over the lifeof the 10-year loan.

"It is roughly the cost of basic cabletelevision," according to Republicans on the HouseCommittee on Economic and EducationalOpportunities.

But for Massachusetts students, who receivemore than $200 million annually in federalassistance, the Republican proposal would bedisastrous, according to state financial aidofficials.

"The [effect of the proposed cuts] has thepotential to be big," said Harvard's Director ofFinancial Aid James S. Miller. "If all the cuts gothrough, the impact on students would besignificant."

Miller added that if the Republican proposalsare passed, it would hurt about 4,000 Harvardundergraduates.

Since the cuts would affect thousands ofstudents at the University and across the nation,Democrats and Harvard officials are scurrying totry to prevent the cuts from being finalized.